Lapina and Vulpin
by starscriptmage
Summary: Miraculous Ladybug AU. Judy Hopps is a normal girl from the country. Nick Wilde is a normal boy from the city. But as Lapina and Vulpin, they're heroes, enemies, best friends, comrades - and the protectors of Zootopia. A collection of oneshots, potential Nick/Judy in the future. Human AU.
**I HAVE BEEN DYING TO WRITE THIS SINCE FOREVER, YOU CANNOT IMAGINE**

 **I know I have my Breakdance AU going on but I just HAD to write this. I was so excited about this, I was literally having the cogs in my brain working in the middle of watching the movie last Sunday.**

 **This will be a series of oneshots. Which means I can be as lazy as I want! (Ha ha, I'm kidding. There will be a little bit of plot in here. I hope.)**

 **Actually, the moment I saw the Zootopia trailer, I went, "Oh. Animals. Innocent, hard-working female character. Slightly flirty, very cheeky male character. Miraculouses? Hmm. I've got something here", and then this idea came and I've been riding on this rickety bandwagon ever since.**

 **A few things to know before we begin: we have two Miraculous users: Judy and (of course) Nick. This is a** _ **HUMAN**_ **AU, which means they are, in fact, normal teenagers who go to middle school (I pictured around the same age as Marinette and Adrien). Their kwamis and respective Miraculouses are NOT THE SAME as Marinette and Adrien's. Just wanted to make that clear.**

 **JUDY is going to have a rabbit Miraculous and a kwami named Lappi. NICK is going to have a fox Miraculous and a kwami called Vixx (okay, granted, his concept will be similar to Volpina, but I promise there won't be as many similarities - especially in personality and significance!)**

 **Also, Judy will be in a family of twelve, because there is no way a human family of two hundred seventy-five kids could be believable.**

 **I hope you enjoy this, because I'm going to be putting lots of time and energy into this story! Which means** Shades of Blue **, as well as** Flying Farther **will be on TEMPORARY hiatus. Simply can't do 11 series at once, as much as I'd like to. If you want either of them back, or want another story to continue, I HAVE A POLL! Please give me your opinion, I'm struggling to choose which of my stories to give up!**

* * *

"This is going to be fun!"

"This is going to be the best thing that's ever happened to you!"

"You were _chosen_ , Judy!"

"You're going to have the time of your life!"

Judy Hopps was _not_ having fun, and definitely NOT having the time of her life, despite what Lappi had told her exactly three months, one and a half weeks, five days, ten hours, and twenty-seven seconds ago. Granted, as a Miraculous-holder, she found herself with surprising (and very useful) magical powers, as well as a new sort of _elasticity_ to her body (a flexibility she'd deemed rabbit-like) that wasn't exactly unwelcomed. In a family of twelve, having the unfortunate ability of crashing into nearly everything that crossed her path was not helpful in the least. In fact, Judy couldn't remember a moment where she _didn't_ bump her hip on the corner of the kitchen counter when helping make dinner. However, the drastic heightening of her senses had given her the forethought to avoid the sharp and well-worn edge - the sharp awareness of the people and objects surrounding her had saved her from endless bruises and trips to the nurse's office.

The immense, thankful relief was nonexistent at the moment, though. Her sleek, ashy hair, previously secured in a ponytail, streamed behind her in a curtain of silvery grey, and sweat made her clothes cling uncomfortably close to her skin. Judy made the mistake of looking down as she darted from roof to roof and nearly spewed last night's carrot stew onto the oblivious passerby's heads. Forcing the bile back down her throat, she grimaced. This was going to take a long time to get used to.

Ahead of her, the thief she was chasing suddenly leapt upwards, vaulting higher and higher above her until he was but a speck in the sky. Judy let out a violent curse that made Lappi lurch slightly, surprised, in the silver carrot charm hanging from her neck. She realized sourly that the 'speck' had begun to descend rapidly towards her, like a little arrow of imminent doom.

She'd just woken up _fifteen minutes ago_ , and she wasn't about to give her day a bad start just because of a criminal and a bag of plant roots.

"Lappi," she murmured softly, but it was more of a warning to herself. Bracing her body, Judy crouched and _jumped_ up to meet the thief head-on in the air. If he wanted to tangle with Zootopia's rabbit guardian, then so be it, she thought grimly, landing a hard blow to his torso. He choked on his own spit and paused for a split second, much to her satisfaction - giving her the space to twist around mid-air, grab his wrists, and slam him down, Judy-style, onto the roof of the school.

"Duke Weaselton, you are under arrest for breaking in, vandalizing, and theft," Judy bellowed as loudly (and as intimidatingly) as she possibly could. Ever since she'd become a… hero, she'd started realizing that nearly nobody was afraid of her. And sometimes, she could understand why: she was a girl from the country, she was _tiny_ , and her grumpiest face had her younger brothers rolling on the floor, pounding their fists on the ground. She could only hope that Duke was at least a little intimidated by her.

No such luck, apparently.

The man wrinkled his nose, grinning unpleasantly, and Judy instantly felt herself sliding into a defensive position.

"Says who, _you_?" he sniggered, mock-saluting her. "Nice try, _Lapina._ I ain't scared of you."

Sighing, Judy gave up glaring at Duke and placed a gentle, but firm foot on the man's back. Ignoring his unveiled amusement, she tapped her pendant twice forcefully.

"Chief Bogo, the Zootopia Police Department, please," she instructed Lappi in a slightly weary voice.

There was a brief moment of silence as Lappi connected her to the chief. Judy looked down at Duke, a slight frown crossing her face. She wondered what had driven the man to steal a bunch of weird roots - and how he had escaped her radar in the first place.

Lappi's arrival had given her some very interesting abilities other than sensitivity: every morning, for example, she sent out a series of 'waves' that pulsated from her to the very edges of Zootopia. These 'waves' informed her of any irregular activity in the area, as well as any new reports from the police. Zootopia wasn't exactly the smallest city, so it took about two and a half hours to scan the entire place. If it weren't for the passerby who'd informed her of Duke, she would've been back in her aunt's house by now, getting dressed for school.

Speaking of said passerby… Judy felt her cheeks go rosy at the thought of the pair of deep green eyes looking down at her in slight admiration and surprise. If she hadn't remembered that she was _Lapina_ at that moment and not Judy Hopps, she would've backtracked a mile and buried her crimson face into her pillow.

Nick Wilde. Popular, _extremely_ good-looking, laid-back and hardworking at the same time. He was the talk of her school, actually - since he'd transferred three months ago. Judy's mind was already reeling at the thought of him. Tall, dark (well, his hair was a fierce golden orange, but close enough), and handsome? A firm yes for all three. Simply put, he was eye candy for every available girl in the school.

"There's been a robbery at the grocery store," he'd said, after tapping her hesitantly on her shoulder. Judy remembered swinging around quickly at the familiar voice, feeling a blur of recognition, and doing an incredulous double take.

" _Ni_ \- I mean, I beg your pardon?" she'd said, thanking the heavens inwardly that her voice didn't hitch or stutter. Heaven help her, he was _gorgeous_ , even with a rumpled shirt and bags under his eyes.

"There's been a robbery," Nick had repeated, looking a bit puzzled at her reaction.

Judy had only managed to gather her thoughts together (and swallow her stammering) before thanking him and running off in the direction he'd pointed in.

Shaking her head abruptly, she cleared all thoughts of Nick out of her head and concentrated on the situation at hand. There was something odd about this whole getup. Duke seemed like a pretty skilled fighter - the throbbing bruise on her shin told her that clearly enough - and his acrobatic stunts during their chase was enough to reveal himself as professionally trained. He seemed very familiar with a thief's tactics, as well. Three times had he tried to leave false trails, and twice had he run straight into crowds in an attempt to lose her. It was frighteningly obvious that this wasn't the first time he'd stolen something and tried to get away with it. But his record was as blank as a new sheet of paper - or so Chief Bogo had informed her. Not to mention, the moment she appeared at the corner of his vision, something purple and jagged had started _glowing_ around his face. Amidst the blindingly bright colours and the slowly brightening sky around them, Judy had seen his lips moving - as if he were speaking to someone. But who? They had been the only ones leaping across rooftops, and she didn't see any devices attached to his hands, wrists, or ears. So Judy arrived at the assumption that it was that purple thing that was the source of communication.

A slight buzz of static, and the image of Chief Bogo appeared before her, causing her to inhale and exhale slowly. The chief of the police never really had liked her, especially since she'd started going after criminals as an inexperienced amateur heroine, leading to several awkward accidents and misunderstandings. But both of them were working for the same cause, so that was reason enough to tolerate her, she supposed.

Her pendant thrummed at her throat, and Judy waited patiently until Bogo's face transitioned from fuzzy to clear.

"This is Chief Bogo of the - oh, it's you," Bogo said, when he looked up from the stack of papers occupying his desk. "What is it, Lapina?"

"Oh, I just caught the thief," she said happily, double-tapping the hovering screen and pulling it in front of Duke's face. Duke made an obscene gesture at Bogo, face twisted in a dark grin, and received no reaction other than a bored roll of the chief's eyes. "And I just finished morning patrol."

"I don't care," the chief almost drawled, taking a sip of coffee, which she correctly interpreteted as _okay, then_. He set down his cup with a neat click, clearing his throat. "Also, Lapina, there's been a new, ah, occurrence - "

"Another?" Judy glanced at the corner of the screen; it read eight o'clock sharp. Morning patrol for her started at 6:00 - the mind-radar thing, at least - and the _physical_ patrol began 7:30. Breakfast would be in twenty minutes; school was about a five minutes' walk. It didn't mean she could spare any time at the moment, though. "But - "

"Not that kind of occurrence," he said dismissively, flapping his hand unceremoniously. "Well, there's the fourteen missing people, but our detectives are still working on that. Thing is, there's someone I need to introduce you to. He's - "

"Here," said a voice.

Judy's senses immediately spiked up. Her back straightened and her head whipped around to find the source of the voice, only for her startled lavender eyes to meet self-assured green ones.

She immediately sized up the newcomer. Messy, untamed golden-red hair, a straight, slightly sloping nose - and a similar mask to hers, except it was dark orange instead of light grey. The corners of it were wrinkling with amusement, and the owner of those mesmerizing emerald eyes was slouching in a way that made irritation prickle in her throat. His tail whisked lazily behind him, flicking the air as he strolled leisurely towards her.

Judy's mouth thinned with impatience and slight displeasure. A fox, clearly, as the ears clearly stated. And a player, as well, she added silently, as he gave her a relaxed grin.

She recognized him. Who wouldn't? Zootopia was big, but not that big. She _had_ noticed she wasn't the only hero in town (orange was a little hard _not_ to see). The thing she hadn't noticed was his unpleasant personality.

"I see," she said, nodding. _Don't judge him by appearance yet, Judy. Wait until he proves what he's made out of._ "And what might your name be?"

"Vulpin," he said, stopping a safe distance away from her. "I'm Vulpin."

 _Good. At least he has manners._

"I'm Lapina, nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure, my lady," Vulpin replied. Before she could even blink, he was kneeling before her, kissing the back of her hand with such direct boldness that she leaped away from him instinctively. Her brow furrowed; what was this guy's _problem_? He was way too forward.

"No need to flee," he assured easily, standing again as if nothing had occurred. "Hello there, Chief. I see you're just as, ah, sweet-tempered as you always are."

Chief Bogo grunted wordlessly in reply. It gave Judy the smallest bit of smug satisfaction to see that he disliked Vulpin even more than he disliked her. She squashed it mercilessly down, though: _No judging, Judy. Not yet._

Her brief moment of thought was interrupted, however, by Lappi's voice echoing in her mind.

"Duke Weaselton," the rabbit kwami said worriedly to Judy. "That… purple thing. There's something wrong here."

Judy opened her mouth to reply, only to remember that she still had an audience.

"Anyways, I'd like to inform you that Mr. Duke Weaselton is trying to get away, Lady Rabbit," Vulpin said in mild interest, having no knowledge of any communication between Judy and her kwami.

Judy sucked in her breath, realizing that in her concentration, the pressure she'd been applying on Duke's back had slowly lessened little by little - _I FORGOT THE HANDCUFFS, HOW DID I FORGET THE HANDCUFFS_ \- but the other hero was already moving. In about two seconds flat, his white staff slammed right onto the ground, mere millimetres away from Duke's face. Said thief froze, immediately halting his slow inch away from the two Miraculous holders, eyes wide with momentary shock. Vulpin lowered himself until he was nose-to-nose with the previously smirking man.

"Watch it, Weaselton," he snarled, emerald eyes burning holes through the cowering robber. "Carrots sure is too trusting of you, but I'm a lot less nicer than her. _Don't. Move."_

Duke squeaked and fell limp, his clenched hands now snapped together in a pair of handcuffs.

" _Carrots_?" Judy sputtered indignantly. She was too taken aback by Vulpin's words that she didn't even notice that he'd called her 'nice' in front of everyone. "Who're _you_ calling carrots?"

"Didn't you hear me, cottontail?" Vulpin drawled, drawing himself up to his full height. Judy growled when she realized that when he wasn't slouching or leaning his shoulders back, he actually was -

SERIOUSLY FRICKIN' _TALL._

Life was SO NOT fair.

Judy tried not to fume, and arched her neck. Which made no difference whatsoever, actually, but it gave her a little more determination.

"I seriously thought you were incapable of almost everything, and it looks like you're deaf, huh… I guess you really are a dumb bunny."

Judy's mouth tightened painfully and her throat grew scratchy and hard. _Dumb bunny_? Gosh, this was just like Gideon Grey all over again.

And honestly speaking, she'd had enough of dealing with people like him for _three_ lifetimes.

"I _heard_ you, all right," she snapped, forgetting that there was Duke and Bogo (even though the latter had begun to ignore them and do his paperwork) there with them. "I guess you really are a sly fox."

Vulpin's eyebrows shot up, and his mouth quirked up in a teasing grin. His tail swept around his legs as he tucked his hands into his pockets, leaning down to her eye level. Judy gritted her teeth and tried to slow her breathing. She needed to get out of here quickly - her aunt would soon become aware of her absence in the house. She definitely did not want to think up more excuses for her constant disappearances.

"That the best you can come up with, Flopsy?"

"I don't know, Robin Hood," Judy hissed, grabbing him by the collar and shoving her face so close to his she could see the golden flecks in his intense green irises. Her lip curled slightly upwards to see those heavy-lidded eyes narrow in irritation. _Ha. Take that._ "How about you just wait and see?"

"I don't know," he returned steadily. "Maybe I will. Hey, your nose does that twitching thing, too, huh?"

"It does? No, it doesn't!" Judy's face flared up in scarlet. "Haven't you ever heard of the word _chivalry_?"

"Chivalry!" Vulpin barked - literally - and bared his teeth at her in a predatory grin. "I am the _epitome_ of chivalry. I am chivalry's poster child! I _radiate_ chivalry!"

"Could've fooled me, fox!"

"Truly a match made in heaven," Duke chuckled from where he was sprawled.

Two heads whipped around to glower darkly down at him, and he backed away rapidly from the enraged heroes.

"As IF," two voices shouted, taut with annoyance and mounting anger. Vulpin spun the staff deftly in his hands, his mouth twisting sourly, and Judy crouched, shoulders tense with the desire to sprint all the way home.

Surprisingly, Duke was saved by the wrath of the two Miraculous holders by the chief of the police.

"Yeah, yeah, get going now," Bogo interrupted, waving his hand impatiently at the three of them. "You've just wasted fifteen minutes of my existence. Vulpin, you go drop Duke off at Main and Thirty-first, I've already called Officer McHorn there. And Lapina, about this morning's patrol - "

He fixed her with an unreadable stare and she stared back worriedly at the hovering screen. Had she done something wrong? Maybe she was supposed to capture Duke faster? Maybe she'd accidentally stepped on a child's toy?

Bogo gave her a grudging nod, and he began to fade into fuzzy static.

"Good job."

"Wha - " Judy started, completely shocked by the compliment, but the screen had already turned black. Within seconds, it disappeared, leaving behind a very startled girl along with her thoughts.

"Well, Carrots, I guess this is goodbye." Vulpin grabbed the back of Duke's collar, flipped him over his shoulder, and gave her a lazy salute. "You're pretty horrible at this hero business, and we'll probably never see each other again, but it was nice, all the same. Tell Bogo I'm retiring. Maybe you should do the same."

"Hey - what?" Judy blinked rapidly. "You're retiring? I understood you the first time," she added hastily, remembering his _dumb bunny_ comment. "Why wouldn't you want to be a hero?"

Vulpin rolled his shoulders, frowning darkly. "I'm just not cut out for it."

"What?" She nearly yelped in response, utterly shocked at his words. "Your speed - your strength - your _instincts_ \- why wouldn't you be 'not cut out for it'?! I saw you handle that pickpocket on Blaine and Sixty-first. And the way you trapped Hugo Jones… You're smart - _really smart_ \- you're really good at thinking up strategies! That's everything and more that's required of a hero!"

His smirk returned in a blink of an eye, and suddenly, the hint of distant coldness in his face dissolved into thin air. "Oh, so you think _that_ highly of me? I wouldn't have ever guessed, cottontail."

Judy opened her mouth to retort, then closed it, fuming silently. Was it a habit of his to get under _everyone's_ skin? Or maybe it was just a habit? Either way, it was getting old. And what was all this garbage about not being suitable to fit the role of hero and guardian of Zootopia?

They'd acknowledged the other's existence and significance for around one month now, after seeing glimpses of each other around Zootopia. And Judy would be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to getting to know her fellow hero better. She was just naturally curious - and besides, he was another Miraculous-user. It was really cool that they both had secret identities. Maybe she was even hoping that they knew each other in real life.

However, as Lappi relayed the time to her silently, she had no time to waste. She had to wrap up this conversation in about three minutes, or her aunt would get suspicious.

"Hey, you'd be the only hero in Zootopia, anyway," Vulpin reminded her. "Nobody to steal your limelight anymore once I'm gone, right?"

"But have you discussed it with your kwa - "

Judy clamped a hand over her mouth, eyes darting to Duke, who was still trying to slip out of his handcuffs. Fortunately, the weasel-like thief wasn't paying any attention to either of them, or their conversation.

Vulpin caught her drift easily.

"That isn't any of your business," he said, his tone growing a little testy. "And how did you know - "

"I have one too," Judy said quickly. "But that's not the point. He _chose_ you! Aren't you - "

"What, surprised? Excited? _Happy?_ " Vulpin wrinkled his nose, his left ear twitching slightly. "Of course not. I just tested it out for a month, and I've decided it just isn't for me."

"But why _not_?" Judy persisted, brow furrowing. What was it that Vulpin disliked so much about having a Miraculous, and a kwami? Granted, the first few weeks of being a hero had been extremely tough on her - she still made mistakes, even now - but she realized now wouldn't trade it for the world. Judy had gotten used to Lappi's encouraging smile, the morning patrols she did, the feeling of being able to protect people - it was part of her life now, even though it had only been a few months.

"I'm a busy person." Vulpin lifted Duke's collar, pulling the man to his feet. He looked more than a little irked now; in fact, he looked as if his blood was beginning to boil. Judy bit her lip, mind racing. "I can't run around chasing people by myself every day just for the sake of _justice._ I've got things to do. My schedule itself is always occupied. Not to mention, my dad - " He let out a growl that made the hairs on the back of Judy's neck stand up. Running a hand through his bangs, he sighed gustily. "Never mind. It's just that - "

"Be my partner," Judy blurted out suddenly.

A pause. Vulpin stared at her, various emotions passing fleetingly across his face: anger, surprise, helplessness, confusion, bewilderment, sadness, and something she couldn't quite fathom.

Then, with a whisk of his tail and a quick bob of his throat as he swallowed -

"Why?"

Judy fumbled with her hands, suddenly tongue-tied. "Uh - I - well - I just - You're strong, and you're incredibly good at thinking on your feet. Not to mention - um - I'm _notverygoodatthis_ \- " she forced the words out as quickly as she could - "so it would be better for the both of us to work together. A-And we both have Miraculouses, so if we were partners, we would be able to understand and learn how to use them better."

Vulpin gaped at her, utterly speechless, and Judy flushed a bright, ungraceful crimson.

"Just consider it," she added helplessly, and crouched, getting ready to hop back home, where a nice, warm breakfast would be waiting for her.

"Wait!" Vulpin called after her, and she screeched to a stop, glancing back. His mouth pressed together indecisively, but after biting his lower lip for a few seconds, he finally replied. "I'll… I'll give you an answer tomorrow, in the evening. Can you get to to the Zootopia City Square around five-thirty?"

"Sure," Judy answered, half-startled and half-pleased. Even with the orange mask hiding most of his features, her acute senses told her that his cheeks were nearly as rosy as hers. It was amazing that he'd gone from slightly condescending and full of himself to flustered and hesitant. On the other hand, if he agreed - _if_ he agreed! - she'd have a partner. She would've have to go after criminals by herself, she'd be able to make another friend in this big city, and they'd be able to combine their skill and thinking together. Twice the power, right? She could feel excitement coursing through her veins, and a grin made its way across her face. Vulpin's hesitant face told her that he was _actually considering this._ He was actually thinking about it!

Judy completely forgot her former animosity toward the fox Miraculous-holder. Now all she could see in front of her was a potential friend and comrade.

"Sure," she repeated, grinning ridiculously at him. She couldn't stop herself, even if she tried; childish happiness was making her want to hop up and down like, well, a bunny. "I'm looking forward to hearing your answer!"

Waving him goodbye, Judy leapt high over a chimney and raced away, hair whipping around her face and legs weak from fatigue. She could still feel her heart hammering away in her chest, and it definitely felt like she'd worked out an hour too many. But she couldn't deny the rising determination and eagerness fueling her limbs and forcing her forward.

At school, her only consolation was seeing Nick and working hard at her studies. Most of her classmates thought she was weird because she was from the country (not everyone thought of a carrot farmer girl as their equal, after all). It didn't help either that her seemingly endless enthusiasm often failed her when she remembered what had happened with Gideon Gray back at home; her reluctance to let something like that happen to her again made her look… boring, she supposed. Quiet. Maybe even dumb. Judy hadn't been willing to tell her parents that her new life with Aunt Sarah and Uncle Trevor, after all the cajoling and begging she'd done for months, wasn't as good as she'd wanted it to be. Lappi was one of the first good things that had happened to her after she'd moved to Zootopia.

But now she had something to look forward to! She and Vulpin could maybe become friends in the future - it would be so fun for Lappi to spend time with a fellow kwami, too. She could enjoy herself and go on adventures with a partner to rely on - while protecting Zootopia! The thought of it made Judy's eyes go wide with wonder.

There were so many possibilities, so many chances. Judy closed her eyes and opened them, sighing blissfully, and charged ahead, dropping neatly into her room from the window on the roof. In seconds, the gray costume dissolved into thin air, and Judy was Judy once again. Squeezing herself with excitement, she pulled her hair back into its ponytail and grinned at the mirror.

"This feels like the start of a great day!" Lappi said, hovering beside her as she slipped on a woollen sweater and a scarf.

And, as Judy finished her breakfast, slipped on her shoes, and charged outside into the beautiful colours of fall painting the streets of Zootopia, she felt with both her heart and her sharpened instincts that it was.

* * *

 **QUESTIONS FOR YOU GUYS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE YOU GO:**

 **1\. What about the akumas?**

 **2\. What about Hawkmoth/Papillon?**

 **3\. What about other Miraculous users?**

 **4\. Will Nick's backstory in Zootopia make an entrance?**

 **You'll have to see soon! I've got a vague outline in my head that I'm very excited to share with you (Judy-level excitement, that is!)**

 **Remember that poll! Please pop by and choose several stories! I hope to be able to continue this AU, I absolutely love it, and it has so much writing potential and material!**

 **Reviews are appreciated and greatly anticipated. Any questions or comments are welcome!**

 **Have a lovely day,**

 **Jaslyn**


End file.
